Mohammed Shami is ready to make his India Cricket Team return. The ace pacer returning to the field after 361 days showcased his class. Playing in his first Ranji Trophy match, he went on to scalp a stunning four-fer to collapse Madhya Pradesh who made a strong start to the game.
And this impressive performance of Shami will surely make him ready for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. As things stand, he won’t be ready to play the first couple of Test matches. But he can be well prepared to play in the IND vs AUS Test series from the 3rd Test onwards.
Shami bags four-fer in Ranji Trophy
Mohammed Shami last played for India or in fact any match in the ODI World Cup 2023 Final at Ahmedabad. Following this he underwent surgery on his ankle and took almost a year to recover. This saw the ace pacer missing out on some key tournaments for the country.
He was slated to play the 4th round of Ranji Trophy match for Bengal against Karnataka. But that didn’t happen. Shami was previously spotted bowling in nets with heavy strapping on his knees. A clear indication that he might have taken up a slight niggle while recovering at the NCA.
This saw him not getting a chance in the India squad for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. It was later revealed that if Shami recovered in time, he would fly off to play the remainder of the Test series at Down Under. And now that seems the plan. He didn’t get a single scalp on Day 1 as Madhya Pradesh took charge.
Ready for BGT?
Batting first Bengal managed to score 229 runs in their first innings. MP ended Day 1 with a score of 103/1 in 30 overs with Shami’s bother Mohammed Kaif bagging the solitary wicket. But things took a dramatic turn on Day 2. Shami came out with all guns blazing.
He bagged a four-fer, trapping Shubham Sharma, Saransh Jain, Kumar Kartikeya, and Kulwant Khejroliya. The veteran pacer ended his first innings spell with 4 wickets from 19 overs and gave away 54 runs. Shami’s stunning performance saw MP bowled out for 167 and now trailing by 61 runs.
Shami’s impressive performances will be closely watched and observed by the BCCI Selection Committee. And it is now imperative that Shami will travel to Australia to take part in the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
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